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(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. BRESNAHAN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. BRESNAHAN.

FIRE ESCAPE Patented Dec. 2, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CORNELIUS BRESNAIIAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO MICHAEL A. MCGOXVAN, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,819, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed July 81, 1890. Serial No. 360,492. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: of the rope F being engaged to the drum J,

Be itknown that LOORNELIUs BRESNAHAN, while the other end is engaged to the drum a citizen of the United States, residing at De- J. A pipe or conduit K extends from the troit, county of l/Vayne, State of Michigan, chamber G up to the cornice. Through this have invented a certain new and useful Imconduit the rope F extends, a piston-head F provement in Fire-Escapes; and I declare the being located within the pipe, to which the following to be afull,clear, and exactdescriprope is attached on both sides. tion of the invention, such as will enable L is a water-inlet into the chamber G, and others skilled in the art to which it pertains is controlled by the valve Z, a suitable coupling Io to make and use the same, reference being Z being provided, whereby the ordinary firehad to the accompanying drawings, which hose may be attached. form a part of this specification. The operation is as follows: At the time of My invention is designed to produce a firea fire a hose is coupled onto the inlet L and escape for use on buildings of all kinds; and the stand-pipe filled with water until press- :5 it consists of acombination of devicesaud apure is exerted 011 the piston-head .and the 6 pliances hereinafter described and claimed. mechanism is released from any suitable hold- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the ing mechanism, as that shown at M, for holdfront of a building illustrating the general ing the rod E, and consequently the piston, construction of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a at the top of the building. An outlet N, gov- :0 horizontal section of the base. Fig. 3 is a vererned by the valve 11. is then utilized to allow tical section of the same. Fig. 4 illustrates a the water to escape from the chamber G and variation in the form of the carrier. Fig. 5 stand-pipes K, thus allowing the piston-head is a sectional View of the driving apparatus. and consequently the rod to descend. \Vhen Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is it reaches, say, the windows of the top floor,

2 5 a cross-section in elevation. the occupants of that floor may either grasp 7 5 In carrying out my invention, A represents the rod, or life-buckets, which had been prethe front of a building, and B the comma atviously placed on the different floors, might the top. Extending lengthwise underneath be hooked onto the rod and the occupants this cornice is a rod or shaft 0, mounted in thus be sustained. More water can then be 0 suitable brackets C. I let out and the apparatus lowered to the next D I) are cables composed of suitable ropes floor, and so on until the space on the rod is or belts passing over the pulleys c on the filled. The water may then be let out rapidly shaft C. To one end of the cables or ropes from the stand-pipe and the rod quickly lowis secured the rod E, while to the other end ered to the ground. Then by forcing water 3 5 is attached the counter-weight E, which may into the stand-pipe the piston-head and con- 8 run in a suitable pipe or guides on the front sequently the carrier-rod will be rapidly eleof the building, or the cables or ropes D may rated to the desired floor to receive a new extend over pulleys to the rear of the buildload of occupants, and be lowered as before. ing and the weight slide up and down at the If desired, and I would so prefer it, the end 40 rear. of the shaft II might be squarech'as shown at F is a drum located on the shaft 0, over h, to-roceive a crank, and the apparatus could which is wound the cable or rope F, the two be lowered by this means if a water force was ends of which are engaged at the ground to not available, and in order that when the carthe hoisting apparatus, which I will now derier was full the strain might not come di- 45 scribe. rectly on the crank, I provide the shaft H 5 G is a case located on the ground and diwith a gear 11 and a smaller gear H meshvided by the partition 9 into chambers G G ing therewith, the shaft of the latter spur bea shaft II extending through both compart ing also squared to receive the crank when a ments of the case. On this shaft are the load is being lowered.

5o drums J J, one in each compartment, onocnd In Fig. l I have illustrated a construction roo in which, instead of the carrierrod E, I utilize the lower portion of the cornice, as at P 5 or, in other words, I detach the lower portion of the galvanized-iron cornice and attach it to the ropes D, thus forming a shell or boat into which persons may step from the windows as it is lowered. Of course other forms of this carrier will suggest themselves to the mechanic, and I would be understood as including by my invention any form of carrier. So also various details of the construction might be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention. I would also be understood as including by the term rope any form of flexible connection, such as wire cables, sprocket-chains, &c., as well as hemp rope.

Another means for raising andlowering the apparatus is to locate on the roof or other high elevation a tank and connect it with the chamber G by the pipe Q, controlled by the valve q. By opening this valve and allowing the water to enter the chamber G, the-same effect will be obtained as when a hose is attached to and the waterforeed into the chamber G.

IVhat I claim is- 1. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a rotary shaft located at the topof a building and cables extending over ,the shaft and supporting a carrier, of a hydraulic-cylinder hav= ing an inlet and an outlet fortheingress and egress of water,a stand-pipe containing a piston raised by the water enteringthe cylinder and lowered by the escapeof the water therefrom, and acable extending round the rotary shaft and connected with the upper and lower ends of the piston for turning the rotary shaft to raise and lower the carrier, substantially as described.

2. In a fire-escape, thocombination, with a rotary shaft located at the top of a building and cables extending round the shaft and supporting a carrier, of a hydraulic cylinder having an inlet and an outlet for the ingress and egress of water, a stand-pipe rising from the cylinder and containing a piston, a pair of drums, and a cable passing round the rotary shaft, connected with the piston in the stand-pipe, and extending in reverse directions round the two drums, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a rotary shaft located at the top of a building and cables engaging the shaft and supporting a carrier, of a hydraulic cylinder located on the ground and having an inlet and an outlet for the ingress and egress of water, a shaft journaled within the cylinder and having a pair of drums, a stand-pipe rising from the cylinder and containing a piston .raisedand lowered by the inflow and outflow of the water, and a cable extending round the rotary shaft, connect-ed with the piston, and passing in reverse directions round the two drums in the cylinder, substantially as described.

4. In a fire-escape, as herein described, the combination, with the shaft H, having the drums J J located thereon and adapted to receive the rope F, of the case inclosing the drum J and forming the chamber G, a standpipe K, extending from said chamber G to-the top of the building and inclosing therope F, a piston-head in said pipe, to which the rope is connected, suitable connections whereby the chamber and stand-pipe may be filled with water, and a suitable outlet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CORNELIUS BR'ESNAIIAN.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. CHAMBERLIN,

C. J. SHIPLEY. 

